Pentecost 20 (4)
Notes
Transcript
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
At the end of October I am scheduled to have my annual physical. I recall a question my doctor asked me near the end of my physical last year. “Are you happy with your weight?” PAUSE Over the years I have had doctors that strongly encouraged the Mediterranean Diet for better weight management and health and I have had doctors who (like me) kind of ignored the obvious. “Are you happy with your weight?” A related question would be, “Are you happy with your body?” A lot of people are not.
Taller
Stronger
More stamina
Better looking
More hair (on head) and less hair (in nose and ears)
Less pain
Better functioning organs
How can you transform your body so that you will be a better version of yourself?
A popular local commercial has ordinary people saying “I know the secret . . . “ And if you sign up and pay the fee, you too can learn the secret and improve yourself.
A common answer is diet and exercise. One verse in our text reminds us of how this can take effort even though it is no directly talking about improving the physical body.
“I press on to take hold . . . Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead . . . I press on toward the goal . . . “
Elsewhere, St. Paul does acknowledge the commitment athletes have to get better. And applies that effort to something more lasting.
1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NIV)
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Physical efforts to improve include diet, exercise, training. Other methods include plastic surgery, gastric surgery, medications, “Knowing the secret”, PEDs, etc. Results will vary but you can improve your body and mind and be stronger, healthier, and possibly live longer.
But in the end, your body will wear out. In spite of science fiction dreams of eternal youth, the reality is that our lowly bodies will wear out and we will die.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
How do you react to this truth?
Try to live as long as possible.
Complacency.
Despondency.
Hope in a promise that our lowly bodies will be transformed and work toward that reality.
This is the encouragement that St. Paul is giving in this section. And he is not alone in this viewpoint. Jesus himself promises eternal life to his followers and provides the way to achieve that.
Philippians 3:10–11 (NIV84)
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
We are aware that this life is temporary and that it will end — if we live long enough it will end with us inhabiting an old, worn out body possibly ravaged with disease and failing parts. The promise of God is eternal life which goes beyond this earthly existence which begins with the resurrection.
19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Even though we have new life in Christ now with the blessings of forgiveness of sins, answered prayer, God’s protection etc.; as long as we are alive on this earth we are subject to aging and the consequences of sin in general. But rather than become despondent or complacent, St. Paul used his time on earth to strive for a better body. (Note: Although this is a gift, along with it comes the responsibility of attaining it.)
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Invitation to Philippians: Building a Great Church Through Humility (Chapter 12: Straining for the Prize (Philippians 3:12–21))
Now for our second question: How do we press toward it? What does it mean to strain for the prize? What does that look like?
We strain for the prize by being obedient even if it means loss or suffering. We obey, even if costs us something. The way we strain for the prize—the way we become like Christ—is by living as he lived, a life focused on the cross, obedient even to the point of death.
That’s how Christ lived. He became “obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). His life was focused on the cross. And now Paul says, “We strain for the prize, becoming increasingly like Christ, when we, too, obey despite the cost.”
Diet: Using the means of Grace for spiritual input
Exercise: Being obedient and exercising our spiritual gifts.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained. 17 Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
A lot of people who call themselves Christians aren’t willing to do that. They aren’t willing to obey if it’s going to cost them. They aren’t willing to obey if it’s going to cost them a client or a sale. They aren’t willing to obey if it’s going to cost them a job or a promotion. They aren’t willing to obey if it’s going to cost them a boyfriend or a girlfriend, if it’s going to cost them thousands of dollars in taxes, or if it’s going to cost them peace and quiet in the family.
To live a life focused on the cross—willing to obey even though it costs—a lot of people who call themselves Christians aren’t willing to do that.
And for them, rather than becoming like Christ, there’s a question of whether they really even know him or not, whether they really even belong to him in the first place. They are so opposed to a life focused on the cross, so unwilling to obey if it’s going to cost, so antagonistic to that kind of a life that there’s a question of whether they really belong to Christ in the first place. They are enemies of the cross. They want nothing to do with that kind of life. And there’s a question of whether they’re really believers after all.
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Conclusion: What benefits are there for having an improved version of yourself?
You like what you see in the mirror.
Turn people’s heads.
Win a beauty contest.
Enjoy physical activities more.
Less pain and able to do more.
Don’t rely on glasses, hearing aids, crutches, medications and their expense.
But in the end this is not permanent.
Eternal life is. This is the promise. That those who have remained faith (which takes a great deal of effort and commitment on our part) will receive a resurrection body even though our temporal body will die and turn back to dust. God has promised this gift to us and has given us the means by which we receive it.